It will probably be said and disputed that this Week’s matchup between Alabama and LSU is the National Championship Game. No matter how one looks at it, these two teams fit the profile of the composite BCS Champion almost to a T. Both have over-the-top stifling defenses which are complemented with strong, efficient, and controlling offenses. In the Performance Index below, Alabama’s .968 and LSU’s .947 ratings are not the same as saying that Alabama and LSU meet the composite BCS Champion profile in 96.8% and 94.7% of all respects, but it might as well be the case.

From the way that the College Football Champion Index is calculated, off weeks may change a team’s rating, and hence ranking. A correction has been made in that regard, but it does nothing to change last week or the effect of the off week for both teams. Alabama’s raw numbers left some in reserve to better compensate for the off week than did LSU’s. For that reason, Alabama slips ahead of LSU. Either way, the differences between the two are negligible.

College Football Champion Index™ Week 9

PR Change

PI Change

Wk. 8 PR

Wk. 8 PI

PR

Performance

CFCI Week 9

Elimination

ER

Wk. 8 EI

Wk. 8 ER

EI Change

ER Change

1

-0.017

2

0.985

1

0.968

Alabama

0.968

1

0.985

2

-0.017

1

-1

-0.042

1

0.989

2

0.947

LSU

0.947

2

0.989

1

-0.042

-1

4

0.000

7

0.903

3

0.903

Boise St.

0.903

3

0.903

4

0.000

1

-3

-0.069

4

0.951

7

0.882

Stanford

0.882

4

0.951

3

-0.069

-1

-6

-0.036

22

0.852

28

0.816

Houston

0.816

5

0.852

6

-0.036

1

-4

-0.031

29

0.838

33

0.807

Oklahoma St.

0.807

6

0.838

8

-0.031

2

3

-0.006

8

0.902

5

0.896

Cincinnati

0.597

7

0.601

11

-0.004

4

-2

-0.037

6

0.918

8

0.882

Virginia Tech

0.588

8

0.612

10

-0.024

2

-1

-0.026

10

0.891

11

0.865

Penn St.

0.577

9

0.594

13

-0.017

4

10

0.012

25

0.846

15

0.858

Michigan

0.572

10

0.564

18

0.008

8

-6

-0.042

12

0.883

18

0.841

Oregon

0.561

11

0.589

14

-0.028

3

1

-0.015

20

0.855

19

0.841

South Carolina

0.561

12

0.570

17

-0.010

5

-7

-0.034

13

0.874

20

0.840

Oklahoma

0.560

13

0.583

15

-0.022

2

-4

-0.027

17

0.859

21

0.832

Southern Miss.

0.555

14

0.573

16

-0.018

2

-13

-0.049

18

0.857

31

0.808

Kansas St.

0.539

15

0.857

5

-0.318

-10

-8

-0.039

26

0.846

34

0.806

Clemson

0.537

16

0.846

7

-0.308

-9

0

-0.005

43

0.784

43

0.779

Nebraska

0.519

17

0.523

19

-0.003

2

-2

-0.005

51

0.773

53

0.768

Arkansas

0.512

18

0.515

20

-0.003

2

10

0.021

19

0.856

9

0.876

Georgia

0.438

19

0.428

24

0.010

5

-1

-0.031

9

0.898

10

0.867

Michigan St.

0.434

20

0.599

12

-0.165

-8

18

0.040

32

0.822

14

0.861

Arkansas St.

0.431

21

0.411

26

0.020

5

-13

-0.100

3

0.957

16

0.857

Wisconsin

0.428

22

0.638

9

-0.209

-13

14

0.026

37

0.796

23

0.823

Arizona St.

0.411

23

0.398

30

0.013

7

4

-0.022

28

0.842

24

0.820

Georgia Tech

0.410

24

0.421

25

-0.011

1

-9

-0.043

16

0.862

25

0.819

TCU

0.410

25

0.431

23

-0.022

-2

29

0.049

56

0.768

27

0.816

Texas

0.408

26

0.384

36

0.024

10

3

0.007

58

0.760

55

0.767

La.-Lafayette

0.384

27

0.380

37

0.003

10

-21

-0.042

52

0.772

73

0.730

Washington

0.365

28

0.386

34

-0.021

6

1

-0.021

5

0.923

4

0.902

Temple

0.361

29

0.369

41

-0.008

12

5

0.000

11

0.885

6

0.885

Illinois

0.354

30

0.442

21

-0.089

-9

-3

-0.017

78

0.722

81

0.706

Wyoming

0.353

31

0.361

42

-0.008

11

-30

-0.065

55

0.769

85

0.703

West Virginia

0.352

32

0.384

35

-0.033

3

12

0.014

24

0.850

12

0.864

Florida St.

0.346

33

0.340

46

0.006

13

-3

-0.023

14

0.869

17

0.846

Ohio

0.338

34

0.348

43

-0.009

9

-3

-0.032

23

0.851

26

0.819

South Fla.

0.328

35

0.340

45

-0.013

10

17

0.033

47

0.779

30

0.812

FIU

0.325

36

0.312

51

0.013

15

3

0.006

35

0.801

32

0.807

BYU

0.323

37

0.400

28

-0.078

-9

3

0.010

38

0.794

35

0.803

Ohio St.

0.321

38

0.317

47

0.004

9

-21

-0.063

15

0.864

36

0.801

Texas A&M

0.320

39

0.432

22

-0.111

-17

-17

-0.061

21

0.854

38

0.794

Toledo

0.317

40

0.342

44

-0.024

4

3

0.006

42

0.787

39

0.792

Nevada

0.317

41

0.315

49

0.002

8

0

-0.005

41

0.790

41

0.785

Iowa

0.314

42

0.395

31

-0.081

-11

-8

-0.018

36

0.797

44

0.778

Baylor

0.311

43

0.398

29

-0.087

-14

-12

-0.035

34

0.811

46

0.776

Rutgers

0.310

44

0.406

27

-0.095

-17

32

0.055

80

0.720

48

0.775

North Carolina

0.310

45

0.288

62

0.022

17

15

0.030

64

0.745

49

0.775

Northern Ill.

0.310

46

0.298

57

0.012

11

-11

-0.021

40

0.791

51

0.770

Hawaii

0.308

47

0.316

48

-0.008

1

1

-0.002

53

0.771

52

0.769

Notre Dame

0.308

48

0.308

53

-0.001

5

9

0.013

63

0.755

54

0.768

San Diego St.

0.307

49

0.378

39

-0.070

-10

18

0.039

77

0.724

59

0.763

Auburn

0.305

50

0.290

61

0.016

11

-1

-0.001

60

0.757

61

0.756

Virginia

0.302

51

0.303

56

0.000

5

-18

-0.028

49

0.776

67

0.748

Syracuse

0.299

52

0.388

33

-0.089

-19

14

0.033

83

0.708

69

0.742

Eastern Mich.

0.297

53

0.283

64

0.013

11

-3

-0.004

68

0.742

71

0.739

Tulsa

0.295

54

0.297

58

-0.001

4

14

0.022

27

0.842

13

0.864

UCF

0.288

55

0.281

65

0.007

10

-31

-0.066

45

0.781

76

0.715

Texas Tech

0.286

56

0.391

32

-0.105

-24

-20

-0.045

59

0.759

79

0.714

SMU

0.286

57

0.380

38

-0.094

-19

-31

-0.057

66

0.744

97

0.687

Wake Forest

0.275

58

0.372

40

-0.097

-18

26

0.047

48

0.777

22

0.824

Louisville

0.275

59

0.259

70

0.016

11

10

0.024

39

0.791

29

0.815

Mississippi St.

0.272

60

0.264

68

0.008

8

-4

-0.021

33

0.820

37

0.799

Missouri

0.266

61

0.273

67

-0.007

6

22

0.030

62

0.755

40

0.786

Louisiana Tech

0.262

62

0.252

71

0.010

9

0

-0.001

50

0.773

50

0.772

California

0.257

63

0.309

52

-0.052

-11

0

0.001

57

0.763

57

0.764

Florida

0.255

64

0.305

55

-0.050

-9

-12

-0.016

46

0.780

58

0.764

Miami (FL)

0.255

65

0.312

50

-0.057

-15

-16

-0.022

44

0.782

60

0.760

Air Force

0.253

66

0.261

69

-0.007

3

8

0.010

70

0.740

62

0.751

Purdue

0.250

67

0.296

59

-0.046

-8

11

0.016

74

0.734

63

0.750

Utah

0.250

68

0.245

77

0.005

9

3

0.008

69

0.741

66

0.749

Pittsburgh

0.250

69

0.247

74

0.003

5

-14

-0.028

54

0.770

68

0.742

North Carolina St.

0.247

70

0.308

54

-0.061

-16

16

0.037

91

0.687

75

0.724

Ball St.

0.241

71

0.275

66

-0.033

-5

19

0.049

97

0.666

78

0.715

East Carolina

0.238

72

0.222

85

0.016

13

-2

-0.006

82

0.710

84

0.704

Vanderbilt

0.235

73

0.284

63

-0.049

-10

-17

-0.044

73

0.738

90

0.694

UTEP

0.231

74

0.295

60

-0.064

-14

12

0.048

103

0.646

91

0.694

Iowa St.

0.231

75

0.215

88

0.016

13

-5

-0.008

87

0.700

92

0.692

Western Ky.

0.231

76

0.233

81

-0.003

5

-22

-0.048

72

0.739

94

0.692

Western Mich.

0.231

77

0.246

76

-0.016

-1

-3

0.015

100

0.659

103

0.675

UCLA

0.225

78

0.220

86

0.005

8

-12

-0.044

30

0.828

42

0.784

Utah St.

0.224

79

0.237

79

-0.013

0

20

0.033

65

0.744

45

0.777

Connecticut

0.222

80

0.248

72

-0.026

-8

5

0.010

61

0.755

56

0.766

Northwestern

0.219

81

0.216

87

0.003

6

27

0.068

92

0.681

65

0.749

Bowling Green

0.214

82

0.227

83

-0.013

1

-3

-0.002

67

0.743

70

0.741

Middle Tenn.

0.212

83

0.248

73

-0.036

-10

19

0.050

93

0.675

74

0.725

Colorado St.

0.207

84

0.225

84

-0.018

0

30

0.090

107

0.625

77

0.715

Marshall

0.204

85

0.179

103

0.026

18

-9

-0.027

71

0.740

80

0.713

New Mexico St.

0.204

86

0.247

75

-0.043

-11

2

-0.003

84

0.708

82

0.705

Fresno St.

0.201

87

0.202

94

-0.001

7

7

0.016

90

0.689

83

0.705

Duke

0.201

88

0.230

82

-0.028

-6

17

0.055

104

0.644

87

0.699

Miami (OH)

0.200

89

0.184

101

0.016

12

-9

-0.012

86

0.703

95

0.691

Tennessee

0.197

90

0.234

80

-0.037

-10

-26

-0.056

75

0.732

101

0.676

Washington St.

0.193

91

0.244

78

-0.051

-13

-8

0.000

98

0.665

106

0.665

Army

0.190

92

0.190

99

0.000

7

4

0.052

111

0.606

107

0.658

Kentucky

0.188

93

0.202

95

-0.014

2

17

0.029

81

0.720

64

0.749

La.-Monroe

0.187

94

0.206

92

-0.019

-2

4

0.002

76

0.730

72

0.732

Maryland

0.183

95

0.208

90

-0.026

-5

-4

0.009

110

0.613

114

0.622

Troy

0.178

96

0.204

93

-0.027

-3

-9

-0.009

106

0.631

115

0.622

San Jose St.

0.178

97

0.210

89

-0.033

-8

-3

-0.006

85

0.703

88

0.697

North Texas

0.174

98

0.201

96

-0.027

-2

-10

-0.026

79

0.721

89

0.695

Navy

0.174

99

0.206

91

-0.032

-8

13

0.070

109

0.619

96

0.689

Boston College

0.172

100

0.155

108

0.018

8

-2

0.016

96

0.670

98

0.686

Arizona

0.172

101

0.191

98

-0.020

-3

3

0.039

102

0.647

99

0.686

Central Mich.

0.171

102

0.162

107

0.010

5

1

0.056

119

0.540

118

0.596

UNLV

0.170

103

0.154

109

0.016

6

-13

-0.014

89

0.690

102

0.676

Oregon St.

0.169

104

0.197

97

-0.028

-7

-6

0.007

99

0.659

105

0.666

Rice

0.167

105

0.188

100

-0.022

-5

8

0.082

116

0.569

108

0.651

Kent St.

0.163

106

0.142

116

0.021

10

-4

0.018

105

0.632

109

0.650

Kansas

0.162

107

0.181

102

-0.018

-5

-2

0.024

108

0.620

110

0.644

Ole Miss

0.161

108

0.177

104

-0.016

-4

2

0.049

115

0.574

113

0.623

Minnesota

0.156

109

0.143

115

0.012

6

9

0.026

95

0.674

86

0.700

Buffalo

0.156

110

0.168

106

-0.013

-4

-16

-0.025

88

0.699

104

0.674

Tulane

0.150

111

0.175

105

-0.025

-6

6

0.083

117

0.560

111

0.643

Akron

0.143

112

0.140

117

0.003

5

2

0.064

114

0.577

112

0.641

Idaho

0.142

113

0.144

114

-0.002

1

1

0.017

94

0.674

93

0.692

Indiana

0.138

114

0.150

111

-0.012

-3

1

0.025

101

0.651

100

0.676

Colorado

0.135

115

0.145

113

-0.009

-2

-4

0.002

112

0.604

116

0.606

Memphis

0.135

116

0.151

110

-0.016

-6

3

0.064

120

0.533

117

0.597

Fla. Atlantic

0.133

117

0.119

119

0.014

2

-6

-0.002

113

0.585

119

0.583

UAB

0.130

118

0.146

112

-0.017

-6

-2

0.030

118

0.547

120

0.576

New Mexico

0.115

119

0.121

118

-0.006

-1

-16

-0.046

31

0.822

47

0.776

Southern California

0.000

120

0.000

120

0.000

0

Sort as you like.
** University of Southern California is banned from post season play and is not eligible for the BCS Title.

As against the AP and Coaches’ Polls the College Football Champion Index™ includes 22 of the Associated Press teams and 23 of the USA Today Coaches Poll Teams. The CFCI has 18 of the same teams that Jeff Sagarin has in his poll, but it remains to be seen this evening as to who is more accurate in predicting the BCS Poll.

For the Arkansas Razorbacks, wins ultimately make the difference because the Hogs are battered on the defensive side of the ball in the CFCI and with the weight provided to rushing categories. With the win over Vanderbilt, the Razorbacks move up two places in the CFCI to No. 18.

Playing strongly with good defense and a 6-2 overall record, the Arkansas State Red Wolves shouldn’t be far from attracting attention nationally. Because the CFCI applies the same performance calculation and elimination calculation (assessing losses) to every Division I football team, the Red Wolves have worked their way into the 21st position in the CFCI in the same system which has Alabama and LSU at No. 1 and No. 2 unlike other computer polls. It should be noted that the human polls all lagged behind on bringing Houston, Cincinnati, and Southern Mississippi into consideration whereas the computer polls, including the CFCI have taken the lead in assessing these teams.

SharpTusk is a featured blogger on Hog Database. He won "2009 Blog Of The Year" as voted by members of SportingNews.com and has posts referenced by local and national sports writers. Sharp began writing about Arkansas Razorbacks Football during the coaching change in 2007 and hasn't stopped. He has an eye for interesting stats, and an occasional penchant for creative writing. He's sure to keep you coming back for more.